08/27/2026
Recently shared with my wife, when I used to take sports photos for our local newspaper The Herald Times - my thoughts were trying to write captions for the photos, now my thoughts are about the memories and those the photos may create, like:
Sunday last, it was the second day of the Meeker Men's & Women's Club Championships, on the beautiful Meeker Golf Course, run by the best hosts and Meeker High School golf coaches Jason & Amanda Back -- driving up nine, wearing a Sunday championship red shirt, was Dale Dunbar, my former college roommate one year at Western State College and he got me a job as a "grunt" for two summers at White River Electric Association -- "it takes a long time to make an old friend," - as Papa Jim, would say -- Dale, a former high school and college quarterback, was riding shotgun for his former classmate/teammate/wide receiver, Jack Lambert, they were playing with a new friend I made a couple years ago, Tanner Ross.
'How cool to be retired, playing golf with your best friend on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, God is good,' I thought.
As Dale was preparing to putt from about a foot off the green and 20 feet, at least from the hole - I lowered my camera and told Tanner; "you're playing with a couple of Meeker Legends," then turned, raised my camera and photographed my old friend, who backed my words by hitting the pin and sinking the putt, which Jack also witnessed - I swung my camera back to fast to focus on Dale's reaction and blurred his excited upper cut photo.
Then it was Jack's turn, he was on the green but still about 10 feet away, not an easy putt, unless you have laser blue eyes like Jack, focused on the hole, which is exactly where his putt ended -- adding to his Meeker legacy.
Then I went down to hole No. 8 and first person I see is Shiloh May, hard to miss him in his outfit -- I told him; "It's between you and my son-in-law Jeff (Bratten) on who has the best outfit on today," Shiloh laughed, then I'm sure said under his breath, "watch this." -- I'm thinking you have to be pretty confident in your game to wear that outfit -- again, Shiloh calmly lines up his putt, six inches off the green and at least 25 feet away, he putts and his ball hits the back of the cup, pops up and drops right in the hole - Shiloh looked and me and under his breath, I'm sure he asked, 'did you get that?" -- yes I did -- another memory created!
Spoiler alert on the Meeker Men's Club champion, another "old friend," who in true championship style, came from behind....And still.... Meeker Men's Club champion - JC Watt!-- A good time was had by all.
Free downloads of photos on the following link are courtesy of local business supporters of our community photo website and we encourage your patronize their businesses when in Meeker and/or Rangely - thank you all for your support!
https://bobbygutierrez.smugmug.com/2026-Uploaded-photos/2026-Meeker-Golf-Club-Championships
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